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[The Hobbit] Rough cut is in the wild!

Below is a list of the various fan edits coming out now. Mine won't be available until later in the year after the BotFA:EE comes out, but in the meantime have fun with these and let's discuss what works and what doesn't.

The last two weeks have seen some huge advances toward getting this lumbering beast on the screen, and everyone (tentatively) looks set to go for a February 2011 production start. While it looks like this film(s?) is already being a little haunted, things are definitely moving ahead.

What troubles, you ask? Well, chronologically:

- New Line got their pants sued off for basically cheating everyone involved in the LOTR trilogy out of money, from Jackson and the cast all the way down to catering and grips. Bob Shaye, head of New Line, was apparently a legendary douchebag and even went so far as saying that Jackson would never work for New Line again and he would block The Hobbit at all costs. However, the board at New Line realized that The Hobbit was potentially worth a billion dollars in revenue, and Bob Shaye wasn't worth a cheap suit from T.J. Maxx. Shaye got the boot; Jackson was asked to come back and start pre-production.

- The Tolkien estate, as always, threatened to sue. Who knows why; it's just what they do. They sue everyone, all the time. Eventually, the suit was dropped.

- Jackson says that while he, Boyens, and Walsh would all work on The Hobbit, he had other irons in the fire. He brings on creature-feature wunderkind Guillermo del Toro to direct. The world is both equally sad and happy in its reaction to the news.

- MGM, partial owner of the rights to The Hobbit, goes belly-up. Bankruptcy proceedings begin in a process that would last almost a year. The whole time, the fate of The Hobbit is up in the air. No greenlight has been given yet.

- Stages that were built during pre-production languish in the months to come, falling into disrepair. Guillermo del Toro says he has too many Frankenstein meets Cthulhu movies to make, and bails on the production after six months of idleness. Things look grim. The movie has no studio, no start date, and no director.

- A fire burns down a pre-production studio in New Zealand.

- After months of speculation, some good news at last. Spyglass agrees to buy out MGM, and the movie is go! Jackson agrees to direct the film, and things are looking up.

Was wondering something--I can only assume that they'll bring back Andy Serkis as Gollum, yes? Please say yes?

Not official yet, but Jackson and Serkis have both unofficially said it's a done deal.

Expect more casting to come in the next few days. We've still got several dwarves and some key humans to cast. Rumor has it that both David Tennant (of Doctor Who fame) and Michael Fassbender (of being awesome in everything he's ever done fame) are locks to play roles TBD.

The only one that no one is talking about is Hugo Weaving returning for Elrond, and I'll be quite disappointed if his part is written out or recast due to a lack of involvement. Fingers crossed.

The speculation of Bill Nighy as Smaug makes me giggle like a 24-year old man who cares too much about the Hobbit.

You are not alone. Not even a little.

EDIT: I could definitely see Fassbender as either Bard or Beorn. I agree, he's really really good and has the look of a Middle-Earth man. Maybe we'll get Tennat as King Thranduil. It'd be a nice counter as a wood elf to Weaving's high elf Elrond.

I'm still annoyed that they released the goddamn theatrical editions of LotR on Blu-Ray but not the extended editions. Why would anyone willingly buy the theatrical editions when the extended versions are so much better? And why should companies be allowed to be douchebags and hold out.

The Hobbit movies finally being made make me excited beyond belief. While I immensely enjoyed the Lord of the Rings movies, the books were fairly difficult to read as a child. The Hobbit, however, was a fantastic read when I was a kid so I'm sure the movies will be amazing. Also Sir Ian McKellan returning is some of the best news possible.

Richard Armitage from Spooks is apparently playing Thorin Oakenshield.

OT: Is Spooks worth watching beyond S4 or S5? I enjoyed it until Matthew McFadyen left, then I got more and more bored. The last episode I remember seeing is the one that introduces the Lindsay Duncan character.

Thirith on October 2010

"Nothing is gonna save us forever but a lot of things can save us today." - Night in the Woods

The Hobbit movies finally being made make me excited beyond belief. While I immensely enjoyed the Lord of the Rings movies, the books were fairly difficult to read as a child. The Hobbit, however, was a fantastic read when I was a kid so I'm sure the movies will be amazing. Also Sir Ian McKellan returning is some of the best news possible.

Could not agree more. I owned both LotR and the deluxe edition of The Hobbit as a kid and I tried reading the former once, stopped halfway through. But I absolutely adored the hobbit. It's funny, I'm rewatching the Lord of the Rings trilogy and I just reread the Hobbit. When I have some more time I'm going to tackle the actual series once and for all.

Richard Armitage from Spooks is apparently playing Thorin Oakenshield.

OT: Is Spooks worth watching beyond S4 or S5? I enjoyed it until Matthew McFadyen left, then I got more and more bored. The last episode I remember seeing is the one that introduces the Lindsay Duncan character.

The current season has been a bit disappointing, but the last couple were really, really good.

Given the absolute nightmare this movie's production has been so far, I'm going to believe that this movie doesn't actually exist until it shows up in theaters. That's the only way I can protect my brain. I mean, the trilogy was so fucking fantastic, not to mention made by a then-unknown who was given an unprecedented amount of money from a studio that actually trusted in him, that it's damn near a cosmic miracle it came together at all. Can miracles happen twice?

EDIT: I could definitely see Fassbender as either Bard or Beorn. I agree, he's really really good and has the look of a Middle-Earth man. Maybe we'll get Tennat as King Thranduil. It'd be a nice counter as a wood elf to Weaving's high elf Elrond.

I was under the impression that the wood elf king wasn't actually a wood elf, but a high elf. Also thought he was Legolas's father, so I could be mixing him up with an entirely different character. Not that I wouldn't mind seeing Tennant somewhere, mind you...

Was wondering something--I can only assume that they'll bring back Andy Serkis as Gollum, yes? Please say yes?

I'd like to see a gollum more akin to the one in the old 70s animation.

Dunno if you've watched it or not, but in the extended edition of Return of the King they had more development of Smeagol's transformation into Gollum--would any of those renditions be more to liking?

Well Gollum's hundreds of years old, and the time period between The Hobbit and LotR is, relativley speaking, rather short (55 years?), so I'd assume that Gollum in the Hobbit would look the same as Gollum in LotR.

Was wondering something--I can only assume that they'll bring back Andy Serkis as Gollum, yes? Please say yes?

I'd like to see a gollum more akin to the one in the old 70s animation.

Dunno if you've watched it or not, but in the extended edition of Return of the King they had more development of Smeagol's transformation into Gollum--would any of those renditions be more to liking?

Well Gollum's hundreds of years old, and the time period between The Hobbit and LotR is, relativley speaking, rather short (55 years?), so I'd assume that Gollum in the Hobbit would look the same as Gollum in LotR.

60 years. And I agree. Honestly if they got Andy to reprise Gollum and they used the same motion capture technology I would prefer it if he were almost the same in appearance as he was in LotR. Maybe some minor differences.

Well Gollum's hundreds of years old, and the time period between The Hobbit and LotR is, relativley speaking, rather short (55 years?), so I'd assume that Gollum in the Hobbit would look the same as Gollum in LotR.

He should look quite a bit healthier at least. For most of his lifetime, Gollum/Smeagol had The Ring in his possession, which pretty much causes you to stop aging (at least past your prime). Then he had 55? years of ring withdrawal as well as being pretty old. It's been a few years since I last read The Hobbit so I don't recall Smeagol's description very well, but I do recall how everyone in LOTR comments how Bilbo hardly looks a day over (insert prime hobbit age here) even as he approaches 111 when he is still in possession of the ring. Then when Frodo and company visit him in Rivendell just a few years later he has largely deteriorated to what someone would expect for his age.

Was wondering something--I can only assume that they'll bring back Andy Serkis as Gollum, yes? Please say yes?

I'd like to see a gollum more akin to the one in the old 70s animation.

Dunno if you've watched it or not, but in the extended edition of Return of the King they had more development of Smeagol's transformation into Gollum--would any of those renditions be more to liking?

Well Gollum's hundreds of years old, and the time period between The Hobbit and LotR is, relativley speaking, rather short (55 years?), so I'd assume that Gollum in the Hobbit would look the same as Gollum in LotR.

60 years. And I agree. Honestly if they got Andy to reprise Gollum and they used the same motion capture technology I would prefer it if he were almost the same in appearance as he was in LotR. Maybe some minor differences.

This is what I'm hoping for. It would just be jarring if Gollum looked far different from LotR. CGI technology has improved since RotK so I suppose he'll look better, in any case.

As for other actors in this movie, what other work has Bill Nighy done? His name sounds familiar, but that's about it.

Was wondering something--I can only assume that they'll bring back Andy Serkis as Gollum, yes? Please say yes?

I'd like to see a gollum more akin to the one in the old 70s animation.

Dunno if you've watched it or not, but in the extended edition of Return of the King they had more development of Smeagol's transformation into Gollum--would any of those renditions be more to liking?

Well Gollum's hundreds of years old, and the time period between The Hobbit and LotR is, relativley speaking, rather short (55 years?), so I'd assume that Gollum in the Hobbit would look the same as Gollum in LotR.

60 years. And I agree. Honestly if they got Andy to reprise Gollum and they used the same motion capture technology I would prefer it if he were almost the same in appearance as he was in LotR. Maybe some minor differences.

This is what I'm hoping for. It would just be jarring if Gollum looked far different from LotR. CGI technology has improved since RotK so I suppose he'll look better, in any case.

As for other actors in this movie, what other work has Bill Nighy done? His name sounds familiar, but that's about it.

He can raise a fearsome grump. So, along with being English, this relegates him to Grumpy English roles in Hollywood (the other types of course being Posh British, Cockney British, and Evil British). He was squidface in the Pirates of the Carribean movies, a grumpy rock star in Love Actually, and the Chief Inspector in Hot Fuzz/Shaun's dad in Shaun of the Dead.

Well Gollum's hundreds of years old, and the time period between The Hobbit and LotR is, relativley speaking, rather short (55 years?), so I'd assume that Gollum in the Hobbit would look the same as Gollum in LotR.

He should look quite a bit healthier at least. For most of his lifetime, Gollum/Smeagol had The Ring in his possession, which pretty much causes you to stop aging (at least past your prime). Then he had 55? years of ring withdrawal as well as being pretty old. It's been a few years since I last read The Hobbit so I don't recall Smeagol's description very well, but I do recall how everyone in LOTR comments how Bilbo hardly looks a day over (insert prime hobbit age here) even as he approaches 111 when he is still in possession of the ring. Then when Frodo and company visit him in Rivendell just a few years later he has largely deteriorated to what someone would expect for his age.

Was wondering something--I can only assume that they'll bring back Andy Serkis as Gollum, yes? Please say yes?

I'd like to see a gollum more akin to the one in the old 70s animation.

Dunno if you've watched it or not, but in the extended edition of Return of the King they had more development of Smeagol's transformation into Gollum--would any of those renditions be more to liking?

Well Gollum's hundreds of years old, and the time period between The Hobbit and LotR is, relativley speaking, rather short (55 years?), so I'd assume that Gollum in the Hobbit would look the same as Gollum in LotR.

60 years. And I agree. Honestly if they got Andy to reprise Gollum and they used the same motion capture technology I would prefer it if he were almost the same in appearance as he was in LotR. Maybe some minor differences.

This is what I'm hoping for. It would just be jarring if Gollum looked far different from LotR. CGI technology has improved since RotK so I suppose he'll look better, in any case.

As for other actors in this movie, what other work has Bill Nighy done? His name sounds familiar, but that's about it.

He can raise a fearsome grump. So, along with being English, this relegates him to Grumpy English roles in Hollywood (the other types of course being Posh British, Cockney British, and Evil British). He was squidface in the Pirates of the Carribean movies, a grumpy rock star in Love Actually, and the Chief Inspector in Hot Fuzz/Shaun's dad in Shaun of the Dead.

Yeah... Pretty much the entire country is fucking pissed over this entire debacle and most of the people responsible are trying their best to duck for cover to avoid the fallout. They started off making illegal demands and when they couldn't get their way, had a tantrum and came up with the idiotic boycott.